OSI Systems Receives $40M International Contract
OSI Systems [OSIS] says its Rapiscan Systems division has received an award worth about $40 million from an international customer to provide a country-wide security scanning program. Rapiscan’s S2 Global screening service subsidiary, which has been instrumental in helping the company win several turnkey screening service contracts in Albania, Mexico and Puerto Rico, will design and construct the inspection sites and command and control center using its global integration platform, CertScan. S2 will also train operating personnel and provide a comprehensive maintenance and service support program. The inspection program includes Rapiscan high-energy cargo and vehicle scanning systems. “We look forward to providing this customer with integrated scanning systems and utilizing S2’s proven large scale integration capabilities that will be key to successful deployment of technologically advanced and complex systems,” says Deepak Chopra, chairman and CEO of OSI.
Smiths Detection to Supply CTX 9800 EDS to Gatwick Airport
Smiths Detection says that it has signed a second contract with London Gatwick Airport to provide and maintain 11 additional CTX 9800 explosive detection systems (EDS) for checked baggage screening, building on an earlier order this year for nine of the systems. Smiths says the new order is the first for the enhanced CTX 9800, which provides increased throughput due to a bag speed 1,800 parcels per hour. The units will be deployed by Sept. 2018. “Working with Smiths Detection to upgrade Gatwick’s existing automated hold baggage screening systems ensures that we meet regulator mandates whilst handling the growing passenger demand as we expand Gatwick’s role as a global airport,” says Alasdair Scobie, head of Commercial Operations at the airport.
DHS Awards Small Cyber Contracts to Northeastern Univ., Metronome
Northeastern Univ. has received a $645,229 contract from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate, Cyber Security Division to develop a system that organizations and individuals can use to audit and control leaks for personally identifiable information from connected devices. “In today’s digital age, we need new technologies that will empower us to control the sharing of our personally identifiable information by our connected devices,” says William Bryan, acting under secretary for S&T. “The new capability envisioned by this project will help protect our information from exploitation by cyber criminals and also build confidence in our growing online presence.” Separately, S&T awarded a $749,930 Small Business Innovation Research Other Agencies Technology award to Metronome Software, which is developing a technology solution that will enhance the security of mobile device-based sensor systems used by first responders. “Strengthening the security of first responder sensor networks is needed to protect data flows from attack by cyber criminals,” says Bryan. “The security enhancements developed through this project will be designed to ensure the system can be accessed and used only by approved devices and operators.”
CBP Awards Central Lake Armor $20M for Body Armor
Central Lake Armor Express Inc. has received a potential five-year $20 million contract from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for ballistic plate armor. The company will provide rigid, lightweight ballistic plate armor capable of defeating high velocity rifle threats in support of the agency’s officers and agents.
Arizona State Selected for New DHS Center for Operational Efficiency
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) branch has selected Arizona State Univ. to lead a new Center of Excellence for Accelerating Operational Efficiency (CAOE) and provided the center with a $3.9 million grant for its first operating year in a 10-year grant period. ASU will partner with other schools, government agencies and laboratories to develop advanced analytics tools and technologies. “By applying advanced analytical tools, this new center will support real-time decision-making that enables the department’s operational components and other security partners to achieve improvements in operational efficiency” says William Bryan, acting under secretary for S&T. The tools will also help DHS leadership with policy analysis. The center’s research portfolio will focus on four major theme areas: data analytics; operations research and systems analysis; economics; and homeland security risk analysis. The center will work with DHS operational components on tools expected to yield “significant and measurable efficiency gains,” S&T says.